Electron diffraction camera



ELEGTRON DIFFRAGTION CAMERA cen /a//vaz/ n, sin e fmd'ae screen ,c1/anar raz/ (Case E) F Anya/a ap er/a/'e c a/ 4 ofmc/dem bea/77 e P my \\\cen ra/ ray 7b 5m Image Screen -ra C :inventor NoBMAN RAvIpsoN Gttorneg Feb. 3, 1948.

N. R. DAvxDsoN ELECTRON DIFFRAGTION CAMERA Filed July 27, 194e v2 sheets-shea 2 l 3 nventor NURMANR DAVIDSON Aam Patented Feb. 3, 1948 ECTRON Norman R. Davidson,

to Radio Corporation of America,

Princeton;` NLy J.,v assigner aficorporaton invention'. relates generally tov electron opticalsystemsA and? more particularly tol-an ini-V proved'. electron'- diiraction system; employing:- ai specimen in a uniformimagiietiaorlradiaiielectro static" field.y wherein a monokineticf electron beam difiract'ed byrthefspeeimen:eitherfwrenection Lor transmission is focused by the cylindrical lens action of the eld to provide a focused electron diffraction pattern.

Brieiiy, the instant invention comprises means for providing? aimorxokneticzelecti'orn beamf from a1 virtualA source: adjacent' t'othef entrance' slit or'= collimatingf aperturer'ofx thefdrift' space, of 2x1-,con-` ventional 180 magneticv spectrograph comprising a uniform magnetic-ileld perpendicular to the paths of thexel'ectrons, or"erprovidingv a m'onokinetic electron beam from a virtual source adjacent to thev entranceslittoithe. drift-.space of a 127 i7' electrostatic spectrograph comprising a radial electric eld perpendicular to the electron paths. A ncrospecimerL-to be: analyzedis'placed in the semicircular path of the electron rays in the neighborhood ofthe 90 position of the electron path in the` magnetic 'eld caser and* at theY midpoint' of" the patii in the` electrostatic" case. For"^` reilectiorr' diffractionY fi'oirr a surface' of the" specimen, ther specimen surfaceu is* placed' in a p ositi'on approximately' tangenti al* toy tli'e' central portion of the electron beam; Frtiansmission' diffraction; the' of a* very tiiin` microspecimen issuclrtiiat theeelection*lzeamis'transLV mittedftnrougrietiesp'efcimen. Fbfanalirzing trie comp'ositicmofE gaseei ai jet* of' gasi's intr'o'di'icedT in'tovthefeld" ehamier at`-a'- position# eleseto tlei 9U4 portion of? trie" sencireuiar electront patli' through; theunifrm magnetic eld or aty aposi--e tion:v closen to' the'l midpoint 'onf tllief ell'ecti'o'ni path: through-4 the frazdial'ieiectrostatlc'-field; and r aSvacuumiis maintainedtiiroughout 'the'sbalance of; the' electron-system;-

In'l al1! tl'iree arrangements; differentiA mono-s kinetic'relectromraysimpinginguponfthe'specimenv arel diffractedtterebyfat the sameiangle 'and-:are` focusedf at conformare orf lines;-on: aaphoto-Y graphic-..orfotlzrerf elect'rnxLrecording. screen afterW traversing'arradditionalro? otrlthe unifolrm'magnetic field, or an additional 63 38' of the radia'L electrostatic elcl` The essentialifeature; of anse focusedlf electron".4 diiractionipattern-issthatielectromrays emanat ing from an" electronlsource .atzslightlwdiiering; angles` anddiffractedmy-"fa speci-menithrough the. same. angle: all: convergeatof a common.l pointA or: line onl-.thef electron, recordings; screen; v thus pro viding a sharply: focused; electroni diractiom pattern.I Such focusing oiv electronY diffractionr phenomena; isrgenerall-yachievedhby the. employment: ofconventionalelectromagnetic orY electrostatic: lenses; The :resolving power ot such-known` systemsi is-determined primar-ilyl byY the. crosssectional'fdimensionsofithe actuator vir-tual elec-` tronsource andf secondarilyf by the aberrations of. thef1e'nssystems.` l I-n-I electronsdiffractionsys*-x t'emsmot employing. electron beam Ifocusing tech niques-,the resolution ot the electron diffraction.l pattern is determined?- by.l colliniationr ofi the4 elec-- tron beamfby: slits-fon apertures interposed Ktherein;Y In suchsystemsfrtherwidth of-V a diffraction ring.. isi directly"proportional-to thasze. of the apertures orl slots which; determinethe angular: divergence. oil the: electron lbeam.V

In electronfdiffraotion-systemsyemployingaelecf" tron focusing-.lenses or otherfocusing meansit. is-possible-to irradate a'much larger arealv ofE a specimen-than isspossible in-a collirnation-system,` providing the same resolution, thus providing; much.v more: intense, sharply focused` diffraction` patterns of a relatively largeriportionoithespeciemen-under observation` I-n-tlieinstant invention for obtainingsharygilyffocused electron diffraction. patterns-either byreflection; or. byr transmissionthrough thin= microspecimens: orgases;` in which aa thin.` pencil of electron rays traversing; a-sem-icircular path inta' homogeneous magneticv eldfis diffracted byf thespecimenv` at 'the-'imi position .off the semicircularr electror-rpath; or in' which the-Y thin pencil of electron@rays=traversing 9:1127? 1H' portion of a circular radial electrostatic fied is diffracted by a speeinienL'at the midpoint of the electron path. The homogeneous magnetic or radial'electrostatie eldnoperates essentially! asia-vl cylindrical lens-.uponthe diff-racted:electron-.rays\ since. the rays: movingl in.- a' planelperpendieular to` the vfields-aresubstant'arllyfocused-Ito. the same: point-or lineat-the image screen.. It should'be emphasizedtliati the system provides no, focusing: correction for. tlie. velocity componentl of "the incident electron rays in the direction of'the niagneticz:` iieldi-4 Hence# collimations. at theentra-nce pointto the iield is desirable to -restrictvthe angulardivergence, off the incident'. electronrb'eain 'in this direction.

Among the objects of'tli'e invention; are to provide. an improved"l method of and means fo'relectron diii'action from-,a specimen.- Another obj'ectl ist to provide anr iinprovedf4 electron diffraction system employing `focusing of'fdiiilracted electronsA byk afradiallelectrical ield; A further ob'jectl is to.' provide. an,A improved electroni-1diiractionsystem4 a. system is providedlate the point at which the fraction systern \utilizinga diffraction specimen Y disposed in a uniform magnetic or radial electro# static field and subjected to irradiation by a m-onokinetic electron beam. A further object is to provide an improved electron`diffraction sysj-` tem for analyzing gases introduced into a uniform g magnetic or radial electrical feldrandjirradiated by a monokinetic electron beam.L A still furtherv object is to provide an improved electron diffrac-j tion system including posed substantially at or radial electricalV field, whereinV said specimen is irradiated byl a monokinetic electron beam. Another object is to providefselectively operable fiuorescent and photographic image screens for the diifracted eectrons'from said specimens and means for selectively controlling electron irradia` tion of said specimens and/or said screens.

The invention will be described in greater def tail by reference to -theaccompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is anelectron ray diagram of the system for afreection-diffraction specimen, Figure 2 is' an electron ray diagram of the system for a transmission-diffraction specimen, Figure 3 is a plan view of atypical diifraction pattern according to the invention, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of atypical electromagnetic embodiment of the complete system according to the invention, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional'elevational view of a preferred electromagnetic embodiment 'of the complete system, and Figu-re is a fragmentary schematic diagram of an electrostatic modification of the system of Figure 4. Similar reference characters are appliedto similar elements throughout the drawings. Y

A special instance, employedfor the sake of simplicity'of the effectiveness of the focusing action of the uniform magnetic field system of electron diffraction is considered. A-more general consideration' is extremely complex, and isV a diffraction specimen dis l a midpoint position in a diffraction chamber having a uniform\m'agnetc f not described herein Referring to the electron ray diagrams of Figures' 1 and 2, in Va uniform magnetic field H0, an velectron having a velocity 'u perpendicular to the magnetic field will move in a circularorbit having a radiusV Y Y Wi L WH where m and e are the mass and charge of the electron, respectively. If a magnetic eld is considered which is zero for negative valuesI of y'and has la value H=(O, Q,-Hq)-for positive values'ofY y wherein an arbitrary vectort is defined by its three components (tx, ty, tz), central rays'scattered in the XY plane may be determined.v n

Case I.-Central ray, scattered znvXY plane The electron of the central ray enters the niagnetic field at the point 1"0, O, O) with a velocity (O, v, O), and if substantially, unscattered, it emerges fromthe neld at (ro, O, O) If such an electron isdiffracted at (O, m0) through a small angle 0 so that its velocity components are changed from (e, O, O) to '1; cos 6, o sin 0, O), the new electron 'orbit is a circle having its center at r(-'sin '9 1-cos 9, O). jIn orderto calcunew velectronV orbita'=10'3),'with alength ofthefregion' f'bombard- 1 mentof "0.45'c'mi a conventional diffraction cam-j da'specimeng-t9 thevdiffracted beaml Vfor focusing -isk obtained. Y and 0=3 10-2 radians with a radius, ro =1v0 cm.,

the'diffracted beam will be Y 4 crosses the m axis or impinges upon the electron recording screen, it for practical electron diffraction operation, where 0 is expressed in radians. 0. greater than 03, the position of the diffracted ray is (r-1^ sin 0, O, O). of the central ray through perpendiculartcr` the magnetic neld produces a diffraction image displaced by anamount r sin 0 `from the undeviated electron ray.

Gase lLe-rNon-central ray in XY plane, dzlrarctred by an'angle 0 in' the XY plane by reflection from @a tangential surface-at Y=R0 The non-centralV ray entersthe field at (Qro, O, O)l Witlfisth'e,velocityV components (-1) sin a, o cos e, 0).`- The center of the circular orbit'is The unscattered ray would return to the recording screen at (2m cos a-ro-, 0,0). The displacement. from the point ro' for` smallY values iof a, is -,r t2j` therefore, the- Widthpf. theundeviated-spot is roofor an angular aperture of a. f 1f r 4This ray ystrikes an angle 0in the y impinges'on=the electron recording screen at" The deviation from theA central spettro, OQO) is'l The first term of this expression vis the position ofv Casel l, the second ltermV Y is the same as the aberrationin the undeviated beam, and thev third and fourth yterms are new.

and'rneasure the imperfections in focusing introduced by diffraction.Y

Y y. he length .of surfaceexposed 'to the electron'V beam isproportional vtoi/tc,vvhile'the vwidth .of

tains,v terms proportional Y ther diffrac tion line con t0 a2, 62 Va allda.- areaof surface is unmarried,4 relatively good For example for a=107`3 the displacement of 0.3 cm.,,the WidthI ofthe central spot is 10*5 cm. (plus Ythe width4 of theoriginalv virtual source at x=ro which will in general' be greater than this), the Width ofthe,diffracted beamjvilll 'be ca. 3 104 cm.l and the lengthofxthe'region of bombardment is 0.45, cm. For a=110-2, .9:3 10-2, the width of theceritral spot isv 10.*? cm., theaddiV tional widthl of. the'idiffracted Ybearm '3X 10-3 om..A and vthelen'gth of the regi cm.

In general this represents a highly satisfactory; focusingVv for reectionelectron diffraction; For

example, in' order! 'to to line displacement era,Y using noV lenses would nee may be assumed that 0 1 Neglecting powers ofr Therefore, diffraction an angle 0 in a plane Y the specimen surface gi- Ararat the point rofcos-l j-simp, sin-a-I-cosgb, O), with XY plane, the dirrracted rayl Therefore, although aY large` 'have fa' ratio of line width.; 'of1'1031(as inthe case for y CaseIILfNnFccntralrayin XY 'plane diir'lced .by an angle 0 yin XY planeby transmission type i Vspecimen The transmission type thin specimen is mountedin the plane :I:=O. The ray that enters the field at ('r0, O," (Q)- with velocity components (-l-ol 'sin' a, 1J' 'cos -a,fO)-', as in'Case II, strikes the specimenfatrMO;` sin a--cos 5, O) where 'Sin l'-c'os a Y andthe 'deviationlof the diffracted spot from the point (To, O, O) is=rb sin @Alfani-ruwe.' Thev focusing is as good as for Case II. The length of specimen-bombardment in-this case is proportional to a. Case IVe-Rays'in 'XYy prime attracted wetter planes by reflection type specimen Considering rstthe central ray diiracted at the point (O, TWO) through a total angle 6 so that its velocity is changed from (o, O, O) to (o cos o, Y o sin 0- cos e, o sin 0 sin' e) for -vr/2e1r/2, the scattered ray impinges on the electron image recording plane at 2 2 Y (mre. sin 0 cos e-roe- SlZ-i .0, sin @Isin e) The shape of'the'diiraction ring is not a circle but a curve with the parametric equations:

sor perfect focusing tins-- point shouiaccincide withthe point (ro-n.05 0,727: sin 6) atfwnichtne centrarayrscaaefed' directly' iupwards `impinges onthe recording screen. Thedisplacement between the two points' is (-ra2r02\/gi O, rb Sinik/5g) The cmpon'entiofthis aberration is not serious, but the z componentv is lrather large. For a=103, it is approximately 3vpercent of the total' displacenient off the l-diiractedfray fromthe vcentral spot.

' Cose V.-'-Rays not in XY plane VTo-v indicate theabs'ence of focusing for rays withL an initialivelocity component in the direction of theV field, thesp'ecial case may be considered of 'the ray' with" initiall velocity components (O, orcos a', v sinn) If this ray does not impinge upon' a' specimenA surface, itifreturns tothe electron=recording screen' lf atl If this raystrikcs aspecimen sur-face tangentially in theV position and if the ray is diffracted ldirectly downwards and the diffraction angle is a, the ray thenreturnsto therecording screen at (21a cos ni-ro,- O, O). Thisis'exactly the point where the undifracted non-central planar ray strikes the screen. Therefore, there is no focusing in the a direction. If a sharply defined pattern is desired, the angular divergence of the beam in the zy direction must bel limited by a, collimating aperture or other means well knownv in the art. l

A practical realization'of the instant technique for obtaining electron diiraction patterns involves the use, for'example, of the electron optical system of the electro-n microanalyzer described in the Journal' of' Applied Physics 15, at pages 663 to 675 (1944). The apparatus described therein consists of a high voltage electron source, a magnetic spectrograph` for velocity analysis of electrons transmitted by or reflected from a specimen, and a series of electron lenses for focusing the electron source on an entrance slit of the magnetic spectrograph.

A specimen of magnesium oxide (MgO) smoke collected on a molybdenum surface was mounted tangentially in the 90 position of the electron path of the magnetic spectrograph to provide reflection-diffraction operation. By adjusting the strength of the electron lenses, a virtual electron source of variable angular aperture was formed at the entrance slit of the magnetic spectrograph. By varying the strength of the exciting current of the magnetic spectrograph, the radius of the circular orbits of the electron rays could be varied so as to allow the electron beam to strike at a grazing angle to the fixed magnesium oxide surface. A reiiection-diiraction pattern of magnesium oxide smoke obtained inthis fashion is illustrated in Figure 3. In this iigure the angular aperture of the electron beam is of the order of 4.5 103 radians, corresponding to an area of bombardment of 6.6 mm.2 (assuming the geometry of Case II wherein half of the beam misses the specimen surface). The absence of focusing in the direction of the magnetic eld is noticeable in the broadening of the upper and lower ends of the diiraction rings.

Referring to Figure 4, a practical embodiment ofthe invention utilizing. apparatus components as described in said article, and as `disclosed and claimed in the copending application of James Hillier, vSerial No. 505,572,1lled October 8, 1943, provides the required high voltage electron source, electron optical system and electron spectograph merely by changing the position of the specimen in the system. An electron source I, which may be provided by a conventional thermionic cathode which is maintained at a relatively high negative potential with respect to an apertured anode electrode, neither of which are shown herein, is imaged by three electron lenses 2, Sand 4 to irradiate the entrance slit 5 oiv a magnetic spcctograph diffraction chamber` 6. The electron lenses 2, 3 and 4, respectively, may be of either the electromagnetic or electrostatic types customarily employed in electron optical apparatus such, for example, vas in electron microscopes. If electromagnetic lenses are employed as shown in the drawing, the foci ofvsaid lenses may be'adjusted byv means of Series resistors 1, 1", 1 connected betweenon'e terminal or each of the magnetic lenses and anV energizing current source-such; forcxamplegas a battery 8;

tangentially to the semicircular path of the elec-` trons within the spectographicchamber 6 so that the incident electron beam iszgrazingly reiiect-V ed from the surface of the specimen. If desired, the specimen Vmay bedisposed normallyV to the incident electron beam, as shown by the dash line l, in which case diir'action is accomplished by transmission through the specimen. It should be understood that the electron source, electron optical system and the diffraction chamber 6 all should be evacuated. Y

It should be understood that the magnetic field within the diffraction chamber 6 may be established in any desired manner. It should also be understood that the electron lensY system described may be modified in any'known manner to provide a suitable electron beam of convenient cross-sectional area for irradiating the coldiffraction chamber, and

limating slit of the that the number of electron lenses employed may be varied in accordance with the desired geometrical arrangement of the elements in accordance with known electronoptical technique. Y j Figure is a preferred embodiment of theV device described in Figure 4' constructed according to conventional electron microscope practice. The electron source includes a thermionic cathode 25 which is supported by a high potential insulator 26 and connected` to a terminal l2! which is maintained at a high negative potential. An aperturcd anode electrode 28, which is maintained at a high positive potential with respect to the thermionc cathode 25, provides an electron beam having relatively'high and relatively uniform electron velocity., The firstV elec-Y tron 4lens? is illustrated as ,a conventional elec-` tromagnetic electron microscope lens including a Winding 29 and having a pole piece aperture 3G. A second electron lens 3 forms a unitary structure with the rst electron lens 2 and includes a second winding 3| and a second pole piece aperture 32. A third lens 4 may be similar to the i-lrst or second electron lenses 2, 3, and includes a thirdwinding 38 and a relativelylarge pole piece aperture 39. A shutter 4B operated by an externally controlled knob 4| is interposed between the third electron lens 4 and a collimating aperture 42 in the wall of the magnetic electron diiraction chamber 43 vwhichis secured to the supporting structure of the third electron lens.

A magnetic winding 44 disposed Vexternally of the diffraction chamber eld therein for refracting electrons entering the collimating aperture 42 and for causing them to traverse a semicircular path 45 to impinge upon Va photographic plate 46 for providing a permanent record of the electron diffraction pattern.

The photographic plate 46 maybe removed fromV the refraction-diffraction chamber 43 by means of an air lock, or any other suitable structure customarily employed in electron microscopes. A hinged iiuorescent screen 45, pivoted adjacent one edge of the photographic plate 46 may be i rotated to cover the plate 46 for providing a, vis- 43, provides a magneticV known in the videraccurate focusing lof the electron beam inual image Aof the diffraction pattern.. The visual image on the fluorescent screen'vwhen in the'hori# Y door, notshown, may be provided adjacentfto the specimen supportingfelement 5|).forremov-f ing the specimen from the diifractionchamber,V or the Window 49 may be removable for this purpose. Y. Y

Either the rotatable iiuorescentscreen 41 or the shutterv 40, or both,V may be utilized for controlling the'electron exposureV time of the photographicplate 46. 1 l I The foci of the electron beam forming `lenses 2, '3 yand 4 are 'adjusted Yto provide'the desired electron irradiation of the' "collimating aperture 42, and the strength of the magnetic field in the diffraction chamber may be controlled, by varying the current through therchamber eld wind-` ing 44, toprovide a sensitive means `for adjusting the angle of incidence between the semicircularly refracted electron beam 45 face.

Specic means are notV disclosed herein fork rotating the specimen to a plane normal to the semicircularly refracted electron Vbeam 45. Any conventional y art maylbe employed. It should that when the transmission-dif-` is employed, the specimen should be understood fraction system be supported on remote end of the refraction chamber. The o'ver-V all length of the refraction chamber forms an arc covering an angle'of about 127 17'; to pro-y troduced at the point is Vprovided by a constant potential direct voltage source, not shown, connected between the coaxial electrodes. Location oi the specimen adjacent to the inner surface of theV outer electrode will minimize field distortion. Y Y V 'I'hus theinvention disclosed and'claimed here-4V and the specimen sur- Y specimen orienting vmechanisrriV a thin'collodion lm in order to minimizethe eiect of the specimen support, as in a point marked. byQthe 63.' A radial electric field c ,theelectron refraction path 'throughthe focusing field. vfiber-rations inherent iin conventional focusing .flenses for :focused diffraction vvcameras are electronfdiffractionipattern Iof a'specimen comprising projecting-saidfbearn throughfsaidiield to refract saidrbeam Vinan :arcuate path, introducing saidspeci'mennto said field an'drito the middle region of said ibeain .pathto provide diffraction fof electrons Vof lsaid beam. landA imaging v`'said difracted .electrons `atthe Vcompletion of isaid .path tozprovide fasharply -Zfocu'sed electron diifra'ct-ion pattern of said specimen.

2. The 'method according to :claim lzin'cluding selectively 7:controlling the .intensity fof electrons inf'saidcbeamnpath.

The method according to claim .1 wherein said projected electrons are diffracted by ysaid specimen 'by 'reffection Ifrom the surface thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said projected electrons are diiracted by said specimen by transmission therethrough.

5. The method of employing a monokinetic electron beam and a substantially uniform magnetic or radial electrostatic field for deriving an electron diffraction pattern of a gaseous specimen comprising projecting said beam through said field to refract said beam in an arcuate path, introducing a iine jet of said gaseous specimen into said field and into a middle region of said beam path to provide diffraction of electrons of said beam, and imaging said diffracted electrons at the completion of said path to provide a sharply focused electron diffraction pattern of said gaseous specimen.

6. An electron diffraction system including a source of monokinetic electron rays, means providing a substantially uniform magnetic iield, means for introducing said electron rays into said field in a direction perpendicular to said field so that said rays are refracted by said field through an angle of the order of 180 degrees, an electron image screen for said semicircularly refracted electron rays, and an electron diffraction specimen disposed in the path of said rays at a point in said field adjacent to the 90 degree portion of the ray diffraction path whereby electrons diffracted by said specimen are focused by said field to provide on said image screen a sharply focused electron diffraction pattern of said specimen.

'1. An electron diffraction system including a source of monokinetic electron rays, means providing a substantially uniform magnetic field, means for introducing said electron rays into said iield in a direction perpendicular to said field so that said rays are refracted by said field through an angle of the order of 180 degrees, an electron image screen for said semicircularly refracted electron rays, and means for supporting an electron diffraction specimen disposed in the path of said rays at a point in said field adjacent to the 90 degree portion of the ray diffraction path whereby electrons diifracted by said specimen are focused by said field to provide on said image screen a sharply focused electron diffraction pattern of said specimen.

8. An electron diffraction system including a source of monokinetic electron rays, means, providing a substantially uniform magnetic eld,

fmeans for introducing rsaid electron rays 'into said `eld `in a direction -perpendicular -to said Afields@ vthat said Vrays are refracted by said Afield Athroughan angle of the order of 180 degrees, an electron .image `screen for `said'semicircularly .-refracted elect-ron rays, and an electron diffrac- :tion speci-men 4disposed tangentially to and in 'the path vof said rays at a point in said field adjacent .to `the 90 degree portion of the ray diffraction pat-h whereby electrons diffracted by reiiection by 'said specimen are Vfocused by said fieldto lprovide -on said image screen a sharply focusedelectrondiffraction pattern of said specinien.

v9..An electron `diffraction system including a source-of -moriokinetic 'electron rays, means providing .a substantially uniform magnetic field, means for introducing said electron rays into saidfield in a direction perpendicular to said field so that said rays `are refracted by said field throughian angle ofthe order of 180 degrees, an electron image screen for said semicircularly refracted electron rays, and an electron diffraction specimen disposed -tranversely to and in the path yof said rays y'at a point in said field adjacent to the degree portion of the ray diffraction path whereby electrons diffracted by transmission through said specimen are focused by said field to provide on said image screen a sharply focused electron diffraction pattern of said specimen.

10. An electron diffraction system including a source of monokinetic electron rays. means providing a radial electrical field. means for introducing said electron rays into said field in a direction perpendicular to said eld so that said rays are refracted by said field through an angle of the order of 127 degrees, an electron image screen for said refracted electron rays, and means for introducing a gaseous specimen into said eld in the path of said rays at a longitudinal midpoint of the ray diffraction path whereby electrons diifracted by transmission through said specimen are focused by said field to provide on said image screen a sharply focused electron diffraction pattern of said specimen.

11. An electron diffraction system including a source of monokinetic electron rays, means providing a substantially uniform magnetic field, means for introducing said electron rays into said field in a direction perpendicular to said field so that said rays are refracted by said iield through an angle of the order of degrees, an electron image screen for said semicircularly refracted e1ectron rays, and an electron diffraction specimen disposed in the path of said rays at substantially the longitudinal midpoint of the ray diffraction path whereby electrons diffracted by said specimen are focused by said field to provide on said image screen a sharply focused electron diffraction pattern of said specimen.

12. An electron diffraction system including a source of monokinetic electron rays, means providing a radial electrostatic field, means for introducing said electron rays into said field in a direction perpendicular to said field so that said rays are refracted by said iield through an angle of the order of 127 degrees, an electron image screen for said semicircularly refracted electron rays, and an electron diffraction specimen disposed in the path of said rays at a point in said field adjacent to the 63 degree portion of the ray diffraction path whereby electrons diffracted by said specimen are focused by said field to provide -on"said image'screen" a sharply focused electron'diiraction pattern of said specimen.

Vmeans for introducing saidV electron raysv into said'iield in a direction perpendicularto said eld so that said rays are refracted by said field through an angle of the order of 180 degrees, an electron-sensitive fluorescent image screen for said semicircularly refracted electron rays, and an electron diraction specimen disposed in the path of said rays at a point in said field adjacent to the 90 degree portion of the ray diffraction path whereby electrons diiracted by said specimen are focused by said `field to provide on said image'screen a sharply focused electron diffraction pattern o f said specimen.`

1774. An' electron diiraction system including a source of monokinetic electron rays, means pro' 'vidinga substantially uniform magnetic Vi'leld, means for introducing said electron rays into said field in a direction perpendicular to said field so that said rays are refracted Yby said field through an angle of the order of 180 degrees,`

tively.

an electron-sensualephotographic imagl -scr v nfor said semicircularly -reiracted electron rays',

and an electron diffraction specimen disposed in the path of said rays at a point in said eld'adjacent to the 90 degree portion of theV ray'diira'c'- tion path whereby Velectrons diiracted bysaid specimenare fo'cused'by said eld to provide'on Y said 'image screen asharply focusedvelectron'diffraction pattern f said specimen.' i f 15. Apparatus according toclaim 14 including auorescent image screen; and4 means for selecpositioning "said uorescent screen in the path cfrsaid diffracted electron rays to provide a visualldiractionpatternthereon.

V V16. Apparatus according :to claim 7 including .externally adjustable vmeans for orienting said specimen in said Vield with respectV tol said'. in'- troduced electron rays.

17. Apparatus according to claim 7 including an externally operable shutter interposed: between said electronsource and'said screen for controlling the electron exposure* time*` of said screen. y v Y Y Y Y Y "NORMAN'RgVDAVIDSONgj 

